Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Haitian Discipleship Groups: 2nd Draft

Fé disip yo miltipliye
Gen twa bagay pou ou akonpli nan (LTG) transfómasyon  yon gwoup.  yo se….

1. Konfese peche ou yonn ak lót
Nou menm kretyen nou yon bezwen lot (ebre 10:24-25) gen fos pou nou yonn sipóte lót. Premye bagay LTG a fé yo reyini e poze kesyon sou sa ki sou kat la. Reyinyon an komanse, paske dé fwa nou pédi tan nou poun pale de lót bagay. Li enpótan tou pou nou ak moun ki nan reyinyon an. Kesyon yo tou senp. Chak moun pral reponn menm kesyon an. Gwoup la dwe san danje, yo dwe onét. Konfése peche nou prepare nanm moun ak ké yo pou pawol Bondye ka kómanse li chak seménn.
2.Skripti a se li bib ou de tanzantan.
Pouvwa ki gen nan sistém sa se mete pawol Bondye a nan lavi tou moun. Jesus fé nou konen sa klé pawol Bondye a se grenn ki bay lavi a. (lik 8: 11,15) ou pa kapab espere lavi ou change e bay fwi, san ou pa plante premye grenn nan anvan.
Chak goup pral chwazi yon liv nan Bib la pou yo li chak semenn. Objektif la se kreye apeti pou pawol Bondye nan ou. Anpil skripti rekómande pou non chak fé efó li 25 a 30 chapit nan lekti a chak semenn kóm objektif. Lekti ta dwe jan sa a. si gwoup la chwazi yon liv ki pi piti tankou Efezyen oubyen Jonas. Gwoup la dwe li li senk fwa pa semenn. Yon liv gwosé modere. Tankou liv women ou 1 koretyen kapab li de fwa nan yon semenn. Yon long liv tankou travay apót oubye women ka li yon fwa pa semenn jouk lé nou akonpli yo.
Lé gwoup la reyini nan lót semenn, yonn mande lót éske ou fini li liv ou a? si yonn nan nou  pat gen tan fini l semenn sa a, lap gen menm lekti a pou lót semenn. Se pa yon move bagay. Li liv lekti a tout entye de tanzantan, nan yon kontéks, e rekopans yon randman pou kretyen nan kominote ou.
Li bon pou ou bay patisipan yo yon gwo nivo de lekti ki ap gen chans pa ranpli chak semenn. Trant chapit kapab pran anviron kat semenn pou gwoup la fini, li li ansanm, epi nou ap kontinye ansanm. Yon fwa nou tou fini li nan menm semenn, nap chwazi yon lót liv nan Bib la pou nou li ansanm. Gwoup la kapab chwazi ki liv yo vle li apre.

3. lapriyé pou nanm moun ki pedi yo regilyéman. 
Kat LTG a se yon fason pou ou make Bib ou. Gen kesyon an sou karakté konvézasyon an, kap ensprime sou yon bó ak konsantre nan lapriyé estratejik la sou yon lót. Sa se pou raple chak gwoup pou yo priye pou chak non moun ki nan kat la menn jan yo li bib yo tout semenn lan. 
Chak manb ki nan LTG se pou yo identifye de ou twa moun ke Bondye mete ou ké ki nan bezwen kris. Non moun sa yo ekri nan kat chak manb gwoup. Chak péson nan gwoup yo ap priye pandan semenn nan pou non moun ki nan lis la. Li pi bon pou nou chwazi yon non nan lis la chak jou pou nou priye pou li. Sa yo ki kómanse chache kris yo devni yo vré kandida pou lót LTG, pou miltiplikasyon nan 
gwoup la ka rive natirélman, natirélman nan you fason ke tout gwoup la ka fé fét pou yo ansanm. 
Karakté Konvézasyon Kesyon yo
Kesyon sa yo nou dwe poze yonn ak lót lé nou reyini chak semenn kóm reskonsabilite (pwovéb 27:17) konfese yo rann yo peche, nan kominote nou ki valé sekirite, onétete, vilnerabilite konfidansyalite nan favé. 
1. Éske ou te viv pou jezi semén sa a, nan aksyon ou ak pawol ou?
2. Éske ou te ekspoze a materyél ki seksyélman pémét lide ou panse fé séks avék yon lót fi semén sa a? 
3. Éske ou te manke entegrite fé fas finansye ou oswa te sitélman anvi yon bagay ki pa pou ou?
4. éske ou te onore, konprann epi jenere relasyon enpótans ou semén sa a?
5. éske ou te domaje yon lót moun avék pawol ou, swa déyé do yo oswa fas a fas?
6. éske ou te retounen nan sa ou te gen kóm koutim anvan? egzanp gen plizyé madan si se wi esplike.
7. si ou te fache ak yon zanmi w éske ou padone li oswa ou toujou fache avék li?
8. éske ou ta renmen yon bagay mal rive yon fré w paske li fé ou yon bagay fé ou fache?
9. poze tét ou yon  kesyon apropo de lavi ou.
10. Éske ou te fini li liv ou a, e ou santi Bondye pale avék ou?  Kisa ou deside fé ak sa?
11. éske ou te onét avék mwen nan tout sans?
Se pou tet sa se pou nou yonn konfese peche nou yo yonn ak lót. Se pou yonn lapriyé pou lót. Pou yo kapab geri.
LTG a se Fokis nan Lapriyé 
Nou chak ki nan gwoup la idantifye de ou twa moun ou konnen ki pa konnen jezi pou ou priye pou ka delivre. Ekri non tout moun ke nou genyen yo nan chak kat, e nou tout kapab priye pou tou moun sa yo ki te en nanm yo pédi pou nou priye pou yo chak semenn. Ou kapab mete kat sa nan bib ou kóm yon maké chak fwa ou ovri bib ou pou ou kapab sonje pou ou priye pou moun sa yo.
1_______________________ 2___________________
3_______________________ 4___________________
5_______________________ 6___________________
  1. Senyé, m mande ou pou ou rale________________ vin jwenn ou (jan 6:44) 
  2. M priye pou _________________ tande e kwé bib la se pawol Bondye.(1tesalonyin 2:13).
  3. Mwen priye pou_______________ chache genyen ou nan lavil (travay 17:27)
  4. M mande ou Senyé pou ou pa kite satan bouche je ________________fé li wé laverite ya.
  5. Map mande pou Sentespri konvink ____________________nan peche li yo pou li vin repanti.
  6. Mwen mande ou pou ou voye yon moun pou al pale  ______________________ de bon nouvél ou a (matye 9:37; 38). 
  7. E map mande ou tou pou ou ban mwen oswa ________________ yon opótinite pou ka plibliye pawol ou a avék _____________.
  8. Senyé mwen priye ou pou ________________vire do bay peche li yo e pémét Sentespri ou viv nan li ( travay 17:30-31 tesalonizyan 1: 9-10)
  9. Senyé, mwen priye ou pou___________________ mete tout konfyans li nan ou (jan 1:12  5: 24).
  10. Senyé mwen priye ou pou ________________ ke Jezi se sél senyé li, e grandi nan la fwa e donnén fwi pou bél glwa ou (women 10:9-10 kolosyen 2:6-7 lik 8: 15).
Fré m yo, jan m ta renmen wé jwif yo sove! Jan mwen pa manke lapriyé Bondye pou yo! (Women 10:1).
Kisa transfómasyon lavi yon gwoup ye?
Transfómasyon live yon gwoup se yon fason pou pibliye eleman ki pi esansyél. Li enpótan anpil pou nou pale  espirityélman ak moun ki bezwen Jezi chanje lavi yo depi anndan kou deyó. Li se yon bon zouti pou grandi e ankouraje oswa sipóte moun pou swiv kris soti nan tou ké yo, se pa paske yo fóse ou men paske ou vle li. Zouti sa bay kretyen yon opótinite pou akonpli  travay ekstraódiné pou disip yo reprodwi pli disip.
Men jan LTG a ye 
. LTG a reyini chak semén pou yon inéd tan 
. Gwoup la ka gen de oswa twa si gwoup la vin gen kat li ansent nou dwe separe li ann de. E bay nesans a yon lót gwoup. 
Gwoup yo paka mele, fi dwe nan gwoup fi, gason dwe nan gwoup gason.
Ou pap bezwen lót liv sélman yon Bib. E ou pap bezwen antrene pou sa 
Pap gen yon lidé.
Sélman twa bagay ou gen pou ou akonpli nan LTG.
  1. se konfese peche ou yonn ak lót
  2. skripti a se li bib ou de tanzantan nan kontéks li e nan kominote.
3.   nou priye pou moun pou yon rezon  espesyalman, kontinyelman.
Kiyés ki ka nan LTG?
Gen sélman de kalifikasyon pou konman se oswa vin nan LTG.
  1. si ou dezespere ou bezwen jezi(lik 5:25-32)
  2. ou dwe kwé nan travay gwoup la(timote 2:2)
ou dwe gen de sa yo paske yo tré enpótan.
Fós nan de oswa twa:
Kominote ( eklesyen 4:9-12)
Responsabilite (1 timote 5:19)
Konfidansyalite (matye 18:15-17)
Fleksibilite (matye 18:20)
Reprodiktibilite (2 timote 2:2. matye 28:18-20)

Monday, August 29, 2011

Jack the Cat has a Home

We've moved our cat Jack over to my mom's.  She and my step-dad have always been cat-lovers, despite a couple of stinkers in the past.
I think it's safe to say that Jack feels at home in his new palace.  He thinks he's finally being recognized for his royalty....
For example, this is him, stretching out on his new afternoon napping throne:

The Oasis

Imagine being out in the middle of a desert.  The sun is high in the sky, unrelenting.  The sand beneath your sandals almost smolders, and the heat from the ground lofts up to your nostrils.  You're beyond dry, you're parched.  Your throat becomes a heated kiln.  It is like the earth when it forms into the endless cracks of broken pottery, opening, straining for any drop of moisture.  The dampness of saliva would be nice, but even the pebble you've placed under your tongue no longer fools the body.  There's just nothing left, and you're withering away from the face of the Earth.  Is this your final hour?

Off in the distance, through the ripples of heat you see something.  A hint of color,  something waving? Is it real? Is it another mirage taunting your soul?  Closer you walk, not really believing, no hope in your steps.
The trail behind you is not the walk of a man so much as the slither of a snake.  Your toes drag with each movement.
But then the wind changes and there is the wisp of a scent that drifts across your nose.  Your body realizes it even before your drowsy thoughts can awaken, and then comes the exclamation!   Water?

That's the smell of WATER!

A new drive takes over.  Your feet begin to leave the earth with a bounce.   Your hopes are rekindled and the new vision before you almost carries you on wings.   In fact, almost nothing in this world could stop you now.  You recognize the palms and can even see the tall grasses.  You are driven.

"I am not finished!" you scream to your spirit!

To the waters edge you fall, and it isn't enough.  Your whole body, as if by pure impulse, pushes you in.  It's cold!  It's pure and fresh and life-giving.  Some sort of artesian well, broken from the bowels of the deep dark canyons of bedrock below, bubbling up at the same rate as the joy renewing in your heart.
Your thoughts become your own again.  Clarity returns.   You sit beneath the shade of the Palm.   Your canteens are filled and your lips, once again moist and elastic.  You smile, even laugh at how close you came to Death's door.  Your voice is raised to Heaven as you thank God for your good fortune.....but then....

What's that?  Out in the ripples.  A speck, just a, it's moving.  Slowly, but yes, it's certainly moving.  Whatever it is, it's still alive.  It doesn't have your fortune though.  It's not moving towards this dreamy place.  It's moving to the side.

Doesn't it see this palm?   Does it see and not believe?
"Life," you whisper beneath your breath, still not sure.  "There is life here you foolish beast."

Then the heat relents for just a moment, and you make out the figure of a woman.
Yes, no doubt a woman!
You see her hair tossing about.  Her frame in full view.  You can even see her dragging steps, familiar in your mind to your own not long ago. To your feet you pounce as air fills your lungs!

Your arms waving frantically you jump into the air, and from the very core of your soul comes your scream,

The figure, just about to cross the horizon of the next sand dune, seems not to hear.  Your voice must not be cutting through this heat.  You run towards her, gambling in your mind, 'how far will I chase her, will I lose sight of this place, will I find it again if I run all the way to her?',  and just before she takes the last step out of your sight, you scream with all you've got,


The winds shift, just for a moment, and your message rides the waves.   Faintly, she stops in her tracks.  She turns and peers through the hot sun.   There is an eternity that passes, as her drifting thoughts push through.   Are you real?   Could it be?   Is it worth it to change course?  You catch your breath and hold it.... and finally she turns your direction.


That, my friends, is this verse to me, written from a man in prison, about to die for his love of Christ, to another, younger and more timid brother in the faith.  He was just a beggar, telling another beggar where to find food, once a lost and hopeless soul who'd had the fortune of finding the Oasis:

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but that of power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,  who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time..."  2 Tim 1 ~ Paul

This message is life-giving.  We should never be afraid to shout it from the rooftops, let alone the basement.   May we have the confidence to venture out from the shade of the Palm for the sake of another.  May we all have the spirit of search-and-rescue.  May we approach them with child-like understanding.  May we share.  Anything less would be criminal.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Where in the World is Ti Rivier?

I've rarely ever seen a street sign in Haiti, and I've yet to see a map with Ti Rivier pinpointed.
So where in the world is this little village?

100 miles from Port-au-Prince
40 minutes SW of Les Cayes and 10.3 miles as the crow flies from Shane Shaw's house :)
30 minutes East by SE of Port Salut, 6 miles, again, as the crow flies, yet it would take you all morning, day and into the night to make that short little jaunt.

You can fly from American to Port and catch a little island hopper to Cayes, or you make make the trip over land from the capital and about 5-6 hours later, you'll have arrived at the doorstep of Pierre Jabouin.
We'll be looking into renting a couple of rooms from him.  He has a vision to start up a little radio station in Ti.  Guess what he wants to do?  Spread the Gospel in all 4 languages. :)

GPS coords?  18° 5'35.05"N, 73°49'53.16"W give or take a few hundred feet.

We'll be trying to check emails:
and we'll try to update this blog as often as the Lord allows.

We can receive mail from a missionary mail service called Agape Flights.  They fly a plane into Cayes and from there we can pick up any packages.
Here is the address:

Daniel and/or Kari Elliott
c/o Agape Flights CAY 26476
100 Airport Avenue
Venice, FL  34285

I'll have a Haiti cell phone which we'll be able to receive calls on.  Calling out is a little more difficult, because we have to get to town to add minutes in a pay-as-you-go fashion.


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Ready, Set....

I'm finishing up with the photography business this week, and getting ready to go.
I've got just about all I need.
I'll be heading across Haiti with a good friend that I've actually never had the pleasure to meet.  How's that?
Shane Shaw, a missionary out of Les Cayes, has been a tremendous blessing in guiding me.  He's put up with a thousand silly questions, and yet he still has enough of Christ's love in him to respond to me in patience and grace.   We've never met face to face, and I'm excited for our time together.  I know God had a very strategic plan in crossing our paths, and it's like reading the world's greatest mystery novel as each day another page turns.

Pierre Jabouin has a home in Ti Rivier that he's allowed me to rent.  We don't know if 1 or 2 rooms will be sufficient, but I'll find out once I'm there.  He's been another Godsend to me and my family.  Sometimes when I'm spread too thin and doubt starts to seep in, Pierre gives me a call with an extra measure of peace. He has a vision of starting a radio station in Ti, with plans to spread the Gospel in the 4 major languages, Creole, French, Spanish and English.   Wow!  That is a whopper of a vision!  But if it's in God's plans, what needs to be set in motion is already in the works.

Our friends, the Babb's, are just coming to the end of their service in Haiti, and once again it seems Christ has seen fit to have us pass like ships in the night.  Someday we'll serve together.  Atleast I hope He has that in the mix.  They get to do everything for some reason, ahead of my family.

The news article on my family was a little off in the details of our funds.  The reporter we spoke with came on the day of our moving sale.  We told her about the donations from Assembly of God and the funds to buy bibles, and then we began talking everything we were selling to move to Haiti.  Talking about the moving sale,  I told her that not everything was going to pay for bibles, that some of the money we'd of course be living on, buying food, paying rent, etc.   What ended up coming out in the story sounded like we'd kept some of the money from the church donation for other purposes.  In fact, every cent went for bibles.  They are sitting in the care of Mr. Shaw, waiting for hands and feet to carry them down the trails of Haiti.

We have 80 or so bibles in Haiti already, so I think we'll wait to purchase more from the capital until I see how fast I'm going through them.  With the hurricane season upon us, I'd rather not have cases of bibles sitting just a few feet above sea level.  I'd rather myself not be a few feet above sea level with what's brewing out there now, but God is so abundantly faithful, somehow I know He'll make me float.   Maybe that's the reason for the extra few pounds I've been putting on over the summer?  Wishful thinking. :)

Friday, August 12, 2011

Ready for Home

I have to pass this on.  So far 2 bibles that we've purchased have already been given out.  One to a young lady in Port-au-Prince, Haiti,
and this account from a missionary friend of mine who was being led by the Spirit up and down the hills in Haiti with a young Haitian woman named Darlene:

"On our way back to the orphanage, Darlene asked if we could stop & see her grandmother. Of course! She thinks she older than 100 yrs. & doesn’t believe in God. We walked into the home & I could hear her in her room. We found her on a small toddler bed & she doesn’t look like she can move. There are pads under her and a bedpan nearby, but doesn’t look like it gets used. I asked a couple questions to grandma & then I ask Darlene if I can share the Gospel with her. Darlene asks me to step outside. She brings her Aunt with. They say some things to each other & Darlene then tells me it’s ok to tell her about Jesus. I squat back down beside her bed and told her I wanted to share a story. She was completely alert and listened intently. I told her that a long time ago everything was black. God spoke & said, “Let there be Light” & then there was light. He spoke into creation the heavens, earth, stars, moon, sun, land, animals & said “It was all good”. Then he created man in His image. The aunt stepped in and said “Adam & Eve”. I told her that Adam & Eve lived in the most beautiful garden. With a perfect life. But, they chose & decided to break the one rule God gave them. Sin now entered the earth. Because of all this sin God then gave us rules. Which we break all the time; telling lies, hating each other, wanting stuff, etc. This sin keeps us from God. I asked if she knew what happens to people when they die? I told her Heaven or Hell. People who break God’s rule go to hell. But b/c God loved us, He sent Jesus to live on this earth, and to die for our sins. Cleaning us. Purifying us. Now we have a way to heaven. If you believe that Jesus is Lord & confess with your mouth, then you can be in Heaven with Him. I told her He’s waiting for her right now! She’s now crying! And nodding her head! I asked if she understood & said Yes!
With the one arm she could move, she raises her fist and shouts, “Jesus is my Lord”
Now tears are falling down my face! I can’t believe God is using me…..
I told her that God is waiting, if she’s ready to let go, it’s ok now. When she gets to heaven she will have no more pain. The Bible tells us there will be no more tears – as more tears are trickling down her face.

I asked if they had a Bible – there’s one in French, but it’s missing the rest of the books after Ephesians. I told her I’d be back with a new Creole Bible & I would like to read to her. I told Darlene to come back and read & for her aunt to read too. We sang a song in Creole & I prayed & gave her a kiss on the cheek. We walked outside & her aunt just thanked me over and over. I just kept saying, “Thank you Jesus, Thank You Jesus!” I told her she has prepared the way & she’s done a great job praying for her already. After we left, Darlene was sooo happy. She said she really saw her grandma change & said the reason she called me out of the house to ask her aunt if I could share the Gospel with her is that others have come & she’s ALWAYS said NO. Praise God that He opened her heart today!! I told Darlene to be prepared for her grandma to pass away now – now that she’s ready for HOME."

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

A Few Goodbye's

Part of moving to Haiti means we can't bring the dogs or the cat.  Not a big deal to some people, but in this family, they are family. The old dog, Jill, has been with us for nearly 15 years.  She was around even before the kids.
And the pup Indyana, now that she's through her rebellious years, is one sweetheart of a dog.  Good as they come.

My dad lives in Wyoming on a sprawling stretch of land, and being a dog-lover he agreed to take them in as his own.  I explained to the kids that living out on a ranch in Wyoming is just about Heaven on Earth for dogs, especially when they get such tender-loving care from a guy who loves them.
It was good for the kids to know they'd be going to their Papa Phil's.  No matter what, it was a hard day.

We still have our cat, Jack, the oldest of them all.  He's going on 17 years, and he'll be moving out to my Mom's in just a few more days.